


Richie Tozier isn't gay.

by 99whatever



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Online Dating, Angst with a Happy Ending, Band Fic, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier Are Best Friends, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, M/M, Multi, Online Friendship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Richie Tozier & Stanley Uris Are Best Friends, Richie Tozier in a Band, Richie Tozier is a Little Shit, Stanley Uris Lives, Tags May Change, eddie is his number 1 fan, hes hardcore into richie, richie stan and bev are in a band
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:22:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22426261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/99whatever/pseuds/99whatever
Summary: 99Reddie on Instagram.Eddie Kaspbrak is in love with Richie Tozier. Lead vocalist of The Loser's Club. He finds comfort in his online friend, R-Tracks who shares his same passion for the band but is keeping a secret bigger than Eddie could ever imagine.Richie Tozier just wanted to promote his band with his best friend's Stan and Bev to new fans, he never meant to fall in love.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier & Stanley Uris, Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak & Connor Bowers, Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Minor Bill Denbrough/Mike Hanlon - Relationship
Comments: 15
Kudos: 98





	1. Eddie Kaspbrak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the beginning

Eddie Kaspbrak was lying in bed. His mind completely shut off from the world, and his mother’s loud footsteps downstairs threatening to make an appearance at his door any second now. His headphones on the verge of falling out as he rolled to his side to watch his wall, chill creeping in through his open window; sending shivers up his bare legs.

Uncomfortable, he turned to lie on his back once more and gaze up at the yellow stars dotted on his ceiling. He smiled, a present from Mike when they were thirteen. He was too short to put them up at the time, but Mike was happy to stick them up for him laughing along with Bill as Eddie pouted in the corner at his unfortunate height. He sighed snapping out of his daydream, sitting up to change the song on his phone. Everything was too sad. Too sad, too sad, too sad.

“Eddie!”

He shut his eyes. Maybe, if he concentrated really hard, his mother would vanish from his life. Let him breathe. She might even wake up one day and realise how bitter a woman she was. Eddie almost laughed out loud; as if.

“Eddie-Bear! I’ll go up there right now if you keep ignoring me! Come down for dinner!”

With no other choice left Eddie begrudgingly set off downstairs to face the beast. Sonia Kaspbrak was a brute of a woman, with a stout physique. Her wardrobe consisted of baggy tracksuits to hide her ample features, with her over large glasses that framed her beady eyes and always reminded Eddie of a small rat.

Her back was turned to him as he walked slowly into the kitchen, “I don’t like when you ignore me Eddie, I shouldn’t have to call for you twice. Right?” She spoke slowly. He nodded and sat down. At his silence she swung around landing a hand on her hip, “Right Eddie? Answer me. I shouldn’t have to call twice.”

“No Ma, you shouldn’t,” He mumbled, slumping down into his chair. She looked him up and down before grimacing and tutting, turning back to the stove. “I was listening to music, it won’t happen again Ma, swear.” That answer seemed to satisfy her as she threw him a smile over her shoulder, “That’s Mommy’s good boy.”

“Now, eat up,” She set a plate in front of him, a mountain of green staring up at him, “And remember, we need to have our big chat later.”

“I didn’t forget Ma.” And how could he? When it was the first time he had ever felt true and utter hatred toward another person before. The first time he felt his control over his own life fall just out of reach from his grasp. When he finally figured out how it felt to truly want to vanish into thin air and forget his own name.

__

Eddie loved Bill. He loved Mike, and he loved Ben. He couldn’t put into words how much he needed them in his life, what they meant to him. Without their constant support and shoulders to cry on he doubted he would have ever left his house again. They were a safe haven in a miserable town. 

It was a wonder they didn’t just pack up and leave. Get as far away from dodge as they all could. But, Ben was doing an architect course he loved and Mike was helping his grandfather. Eddie knew Bill would never leave Mike and deep down he doubted he could ever venture off without their support. They had each other’s backs for a reason. None could live without the other.

Which is why it was a miserable day. The day Eddie told them he would be moving. 

It was sudden and none of them had expected it, nor had they ever seen such an expression on Eddie’s face. Grief, Bill called it. But later, Mike would tell him it was heartbreak. To part from his only friends in the world? To tell them he would be saying goodbye. It would’ve been easier to rip his heart out. There wasn’t a lot of talking that day down in the quarry. Just the occasional sniffle of dried up tears and the uncomfortable feeling of an itch you couldn’t scratch, something that didn’t feel right - and would never feel right again. 

“You know I’m gonna miss you guys, right?”

It was the first thing Eddie had said all day since the woeful news had been shared. 

“We’re gonna miss you too Eddie,” Bill replied, wrapping his arm around his shoulder to hold him tight. “It’s not gonna be the same without our little buddy,” he tried to cheer him up, ruffling his hair. But it only brought on another round of sobs from the smallest of the group, burying his face into Bill’s soft jumper and wrapping his arms around his waist.

Bill looked up at Mike to see his eyes glazed over with tears staring at Eddie's shaking form, the tears never falling; no not Mike. Mike was the strongest of the group. If he let his true feelings loose god knows would he ever have been able to conceal them again. He jerked when he realised Bill was staring and hardened his emotions to seem okay, shooting him a sad smile. None of them were okay. 

It was Ben who tried to lighten the mood next, “We can always visit Eddie. This doesn’t mean we stop being friends you know? I mean, skype exists and uh- facetime too! We can face time everyday!” Eddie looked up wiping his fresh tears with his sleeve, and let Ben’s words sink in. Maybe, he wouldn’t lose them, not for good. 

“Still, it’s gonna be weird not seeing you everyday Ben, who’s gonna come to the library and pick out books with me?” Eddie laughed, a wet cough following. Ben grinned, “I’ll mail you books, if you want?” He suggested a nervous smile playing on his lips.

He grinned, “I’d love that Ben.” Another round of sniffles erupted as Eddie threw himself at his group of misfit friends, pulling them into one of the last hugs they would have together. A bond broken, pulled apart at the seams with no control.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie meets a new friend.

“Eddie I just don’t understand why you’re being so difficult about this. It’s been three months, honey. It’s time to grow up and move on.” His mother frowned, hand on her hip as she worried at her lip.

Eddie Kaspbrak was living in the back ass of nowhere. He was going to school with kids with an accent thicker than his mother waistline and he was being made to wear a scruffy uniform that itched his neck. Give him a break if he was being a little, ‘uncooperative’. So what if he didn’t want to go to school? It wasn’t his fault he was having difficulty making friends, he didn’t need anyone new. He had friends. Has, he has friends. 

“I just feel a little sick, Ma. I’ll go in tomorrow. I swear.” Eddie did not plan on going to school tomorrow, but what his mother didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

He could see his mother thinking it over before sighing and going to stand in front of him, brushing his hair back from his forehead, “You worry me, baby. Be good and get some rest,” She said, leaning down to kiss the top of his head before going to finish clearing up her breakfast.

He sighed. 

“I’m gonna go upstairs and get some rest, I’ll see you later Ma.” He didn’t wait for a response before rushing to his room as quick as he could.

The walls of the house seemed to stare at him as he went, his breath coming out in uneven doses. He had been finding it harder and harder to take control of his asthma ever since he had left Bill. The other’s knew what to do - But Bill was always the one who helped. He’d hold his hand and bring him somewhere else, just sit and breathe with him for a minute. His hands were soft, always smelt like his mint hand wipes--

He smacked his forehand. No. He couldn’t keep thinking of Bill like that. It was wrong. Running his hands through his hair he pushed the door to his room in and just stood there, looking. His room back in Derry had been small; just his bed and his desk, this room was too open and empty with looming windows. Boring, blue windows. In Derry, Bill had scribbled his name into the wall by his window when they were kids--

He sighed, again. Falling face forward onto the bed he called his own. He choked, a feather from his pillow had made its way into his mouth. Pulling it from his mouth he held it in his hands. The outburst of tears couldn’t be stopped this time. Biting down on his fist he pulled his knees to his chest and let his tears fall. 

Mike had always loved feathers, said it was like a piece of heaven that floated down just for them. Eddie had always laughed and mocked Mike for his naivety and unwilling devotion to his religion. Mike would have just laughed and said he’d pray for Eddie while he went to Hell. Bill would join in laughing then, saying how Eddie was too cute for Hell. It was always Ben who would make peace and say how he thinks everyone would go to Heaven. No one could stay mad at Ben, and just like that it was forgotten. 

Until now, as Eddie tried to calm his breathing. Feather left forgotten to the ground, falling from his reach as he grew panicked. He missed them, he missed them so much. Maybe they had already found someone else, another part of the family. Maybe he had been forgotten, just like the feather. What had happened to the phone calls? The skype calls?

“Eddie! I’m going! I’ll call later to check up on you! Get some rest!”

Pulling back from his knees he choked back a reply, “Bye Ma!” 

He listened to the click of the lock downstairs and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, imagining he must look like a mess right now. Puffy, bloodshot eyes and a snotty nose. He was such a baby. Crying because he missed his friends, how pathetic.

Maybe they had rang him while he was having a hissy fit? He reached under his bed to grab his phone from his charger, turning it on to see once again: No New Messages.

Great.

Well, aimlessly scrolling through Twitter didn’t sound too bad right now. His feed was covered in musicals, fanart for musicals and movies that Bill had made them watch. His love for theatre had started on the trip here, to his new home. With nothing better to do on the journey he had listened in to a playlist with a dozen musical songs. His passion grew with every song, Eddie couldn’t sing for his life but he was damned if he wouldn’t belt out to one every now and then.

Out of anyone, out of any music he listened to he couldn’t help coming back to one guy. Ben Platt. His voice lulled him to sleep, woke him with starts and sent shivers down his spine. That feeling of finally sinking into a bed with fresh sheets and new pyjamas, that was Ben Platt.

@karbsak: Ben Platt is an unbeatable God.

Twitter was a place Eddie felt understood. The people who would like his tweets, retweet them - or even come back at him with their own opinions, he loved it. No one ever asked why he was on his phone tweeting at 4am every night, he felt normal.

1 New Message Request!

@r-tracks sent you a direct message!

@r-tracks: idk about ben platt but The Loser’s Club is unbeatable!!!!

@karbsak: Who?? Never heard of them.

@r-tracks: yeah weeelllll they’re pretty underground only the kool kidz are listening to dem deez days.

@karbsak: ‘Kidz’ like you?

@r-tracks: i’m their no1 fan baby xx

@karbsak: Okay 1. Gross don’t call me Baby, 2. What do I get if I listen to them?

@r-tracks: a kiss from your boo :3

@karbsak: Nevermind then.

@r-tracks: nooo wait don’t leave 

@karbsak: ….

@r-tracks: fo real u will love them they r great ! i promise !!

@karbsak: Mmk. Any suggestions?

@r-tracks: i mean they only have two songs out right now…. but go listen !!!!!

@karbsak: Okay! Okay! BRB.

@r-tracks: damn u type cute

@r-tracks: just like an old woman

@r-tracks: ……………

@r-tracks: wait ar u ?? an old woman?? >.>

@karbsak: Can’t listen to them if my phone keeps getting notifications.

@karbsak: I’m seventeen.

@r-tracks: OH cool i’m 19, ;0 ;)

@r-tracks: guess u'r just into older men.

@karbsak: Wrong.

@r-tracks: which part cause i can change ur mind on both ;)))

@karbsak: Moving on, I listened to your band.

@r-tracks: aaaaaand?? Don’t leave a man waiting like that …. Um

@r-tracks: ? idk ur name

@karbsak: I’m guessing yours isn’t R-Tracks either?

@r-tracks: nope but u can call me R ;)

@r-tracks: bUT STOP DODGING THE Q HOw diD you find the BAND

@karbsak: …

@karbsak: AMAZING!! God these guys are so good! I’m so shocked!

@r-tracks: I toLD YOU

@r-tracks: thank u tho :):)

@karbsak: Thanks for nothing all you did was get me to listen to some good music!

@karbsak: How do you know about them? They only have like four hundred subscribers?

@r-tracks: i have a talent of finding diamonds in the rough

@r-tracks: think i may have just found my new one ;)

@karbsak: You are the biggest flirt I have ever met.

@r-tracks: cute tho right??;)

@karbsak: Not giving you the satisfaction of that.

@r-tracks: sooooo am i gonna get the name of my future wife ??

@karbsak: LOL.

@r-tracks: ??

@karbsak: You can call me Edwin.

@r-tracks: shiiit you’re a dude??? GoD i thought u were some cute fangirl

@karbsak: Ouch, no just a seventeen year old male.

@r-tracks: that’s okay babe i swing both ways ;))))

@karbsak: AND That’s my cue to leave.

@karbsak: Nice talking to you R.

@r-tracks: LOVEly to talk to u my beautiful edwin xxx

Eddie clicked off his phone and without even looking in the mirror he could tell he was as red as a tomato. What. The. Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter for now :)


End file.
